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Information on Cape Town

The spectacular city of Cape Town is without doubt one of South Africas most enticing destinations, and certainly among the worlds most picturesque cities. It offers a breathtaking natural environment typified by dramatic mountain and coastal scenery, as well as an interesting blend of cultures and a vibrant social and entertainment scene. Extending out from the base of the iconic Table Mountain, the city is located on a jutting peninsula that is surrounded by the merging waters of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

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Key Attractions

Cape Towns coastline is its most precious asset, with visitors flocking annually from upcountry and overseas to enjoy its turquoise water and soak up the sun on its unparallel beaches. The lively Camps Bay beachfront is an excellent spot from which to enjoy the setting sun. The city centre is dominated by the magnificent form of Table Mountain, the summit of which can be reached via cable car or hiking. Also of interest, the museums of Bo Kaap and District Six provide an eye-opening account of the citys often tragic past, where racial discrimination and forced removals resulted in the displacement of many individuals from their chosen place of residence. The Good Hope Castle Fort is Cape Towns oldest standing reminder of early Dutch and British colonisation of the area. The infamous Robben Island, on which former president Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for more than 20 years, is now a humbling tourist attraction

Out and About

Driving northwards and inland will take you to the superb wine-making areas of Stellenbosch and Franschoek, where undulating vineyards are backed by blue-tinged mountains, and visitors can sample the delicious Western Cape wines that have gained fame across the globe. The drive via Chapman’s Peak to Cape Point nature reserve and returning via Hout Bay or Simonstown in one of the world’s most spectacular.

Leisure Options

Besides the obvious recreational activities that are linked to the Cape seafront, the peninsula is traversed by numerous hiking and rock climbing trails leading across its mountains and valleys. The exquisite Cape Point Nature Reserve is a pristine natural environment of wind-swept beaches, natural flora and thundering ocean where surfing, swimming, scuba diving and barbeques are popular pastimes. In close proximity to the city centre is the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront development, a swanky collection of shops, markets, hotels and entertainment venues.

Weather in Cape Town

Lying between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, Cape Town enjoys mild winters and pleasant summers. Summer sees temperatures ranging from 15-27C, whilst in the winter months it is between 7-20C You can expect moderate rainfall during the year and the refreshing sea breezes can sometimes turn a bit bracing during the winter.

Cape Town Travel Partners from Essential Travel

About Cape Town
About Cape Town is a guide for visitors to Cape Town. With loads of useful content and advice on things to do and see when in Cape Town. From all the busy local attractions to the where the local hangout Cape Town has something for everybody.

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